Jan 27, 2006 8:56 AM, from staff and wire reports

Sara Lee Food & Beverage, the North American retail food division of Sara Lee Corp, intends to invest $24 million to construct a 214,000-square-foot distribution facility in Macon GA.

This is Sara Lee’s first dedicated distribution center in Georgia and is anticipated to have as many as 140 employees within its first year of operation, according to the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

Situated on 33 acres at I-75 Business Park in Macon, the facility will store and distribute both refrigerated and frozen meat and bakery products for the Southeast's retail and foodservice market. Sara Lee expects to open the center in August 2006.